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A Pet360 survey of owners sheds light on the lengths people go to in the name of pampering their pets. More than 99% of respondents said their pets are considered family members, and 75% said they would prefer to have their pet with them on a desert island rather than a human. More than 42% of owners don't want to vacation without their furry friends, and more than 40% admit sneaking their pet into a public area such as a store.

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Dogs evolved from wolves some 11,000 years ago to live and work -- and apparently eat -- alongside humans, according to a new study. Genetic analysis has revealed that dogs possess more genes that code for production of the starch-digesting enzyme amylase than wolves, which helps dogs digest a more humanlike diet. Dogs also produce a longer form of the enzyme maltase that is more characteristic of plant-eating animals. "Dogs are different from wolves and don't need a wolflike diet," said evolutionary biologist Robert Wayne, commenting on the significance of the findings.

Spaying or neutering a pet is an important preventive health measure as well as a means of limiting the number of homeless pets, writes veterinarian Ann Hohenhaus, who notes the AVMA's Guidelines for Responsible Pet Ownership encourage owners to help keep the pet population under control. During a neuter operation, a veterinarian removes a male dog's testicles, the main source of reproduction and testosterone, thereby preventing the dog from siring puppies and protecting it from testosterone-related problems including behavior issues and health threats such as prostate cancer, Dr. Hohenhaus points out.

Residents of a retirement community in California have agreed to have a wildlife management company perform ovariectomies on female deer and have some of the animals relocated in an effort to reduce the population of 170 that resides at the 1,200-acre development. The deer have become accustomed to people and there have been reports of aggression toward dogs, car accidents and landscaping damage, but protests halted a plan to use archery to reduce the population.

After a USDA inspector saw a suspicious lesion on a cow from Washington state sent to slaughter, testing of the tissue identified bovine tuberculosis and officials are confirming the results with a second test. There is no threat to human health because the cow was removed from the food chain and milk from its dairy is pasteurized, which kills the pathogen, according to a state agriculture official. The dairy has been quarantined until 1,500 of its cattle can be tested for the disease, although bovine TB usually only surfaces in 1% to 4% of cows in close proximity to an infected cow, the official said.

Pet owners often feel a huge loss when their beloved pet dies, and some are choosing to keep their furry family member around through pet taxidermy. Animal Planet's reality TV show "American Stuffers" follows a taxidermist who freeze-dries the animals and reunites owners with their preserved pets.